British Theatre Before & After Covid 

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Following our reports into British theatre repertoire in 2013 and 2014, the British Theatre Consortium produced a major new report on British theatre either side of the Covid pandemic, based on figures for 2019 and 2023.

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Based on aggregated box office data from 139 commercial, not-for-profit and subsidised theatres throughout the country, our report asks what really happened to theatre before and after Covid.

 

The main findings included:

 

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of productions and performances declined but attendances rose.

 

Musicals increased but drama declined substantially. New musicals increased considerably as a category after lockdown

 

By 2023 the majority of theatre productions consisted of new work again. There were fewer new plays but those there were had longer runs in fuller theatre. The share of adaptations increased.

 

London’s already overwhelming share of national theatre activity increased.

The report was published in November 2026 and received extensive coverage in the theatre press, on London radio and on television. Once again, the Stage led with the report, which inspired think-pieces by Lyn Gardner and Will Young.